Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year.

Alcyone 

Atlas 

Electra 

Taygeta 

Pleione 

Merope 

Maia

Alcyone – Matariki, eyes of Tāwhirimātea

Atlas – Tupu-ā-rangi, sky tohunga

Electra – Waipuna-ā-rangi, sky spring

Taygeta – Waitī, sweet water

Pleione – Tupu-ā-nuku, Earth tohunga

Merope – Ururangi, entry to the heavens

Maia – Waitā, sprinkle of wate

In 2020, Matariki will begin on 13 July.

Pōhutukawa – connects with those who have passed on

Waitī – ties to bodies of fresh water and the food within it

Waitā – ties to the ocean and the food within it

Waipuna-ā-rangi – associated with the rain

Tupuānuku – is for food that grows within the soil

Tupuārangi – is for food that grows up in the trees

Ururangi – is the star associated with the winds

Hiwa-i-te-rangi – the youngest, is the wishing star that also ties into our aspirations for the coming year

5.what are the name of the stars
tutu-a-Nuku
tupu-a-rangi
 ururangi
 waipunarangi
 waiti,
 Waita

In most of the world it is know as plaides, biggiest recorded cluster of starts in the sky, plaidies mean flock of doves, in most of Polynesia its known as matariki, mostly it means the eyes of the chief or the eyes of the god, hinitakarua star to the Dog Star is the brightest star in the sky

Matariki has a very long name, names of stars: Pohutakawa, Tipuanuku, Tipuarangi, Waiti, Waita, Waipunarangi, Ururangi, Hiwaietirangi

Matariki is the mother of the children, Tipurangi is a Bové tipunuku because Rangi is always above Nuku, waiti and waita female and male balance Waitit is over Waita because fresh water always floats to salt water, Waipunurangi and Ururangi female male balance they are above everything else because rain and wind is above everything else, the 2 sacred stars are Puhutakawa and Hiwaitirangi

Ancestors looked at the stars in the morning to see what there day would be like, they looked for patterns, some stars might have been less light because of others.https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year

Atlas – Tupu-ā-rangi, sky tohunga

Electra – Waipuna-ā-rangi, sky spring

Taygeta – Waitī, sweet water

Pleione – Tupu-ā-nuku, Earth tohunga

Merope – Ururangi, entry to the heavens

Maia – Waitā, sprinkle of wate

3. What is a matariki 
Matariki signals the Maori new year it is the name of a celebration in new Zealand of the matariki star cluster also known as pleiades or the seven sisters

4.when does matariki appear
Matariki appears in late may or early June at night in the sky it normally appears on the shortest day of the year

5. Where to find/look for matariki
The low horizon or the north east of the sky

1.matariki is a constalation 

2.Matariki means the new year 

3.there are seven stars- Matariki, tutu-a-Nuku,tupu-a-rangi, ururangi, waipunarangi, waiti, Waita

4.the eyes of god

5.mid winter 

What is Matariki?
Matariki is a star cluster that appear in the night sky during mid-winter which signals the Maori new year. It is deeply celebrated in NZ every year.

When is Matariki 
 The reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year hence Matariki is associated with the Maori New Year.
This year Matariki will begin July 13th and end on July 16th.

What are the Names of the Each Stars and what do they mean? (2 questions)

Alcyone - Eyes of Tāwhirimātea 
Atlas- Tupu-a-Rangi, sky tohunga
Electra- Waipunarangi, sky spring
Taygeta- Waiti, sweet water
Pleione- Tupu a Nuku, Earth tohunga
Merope- Ururangi, entry to the heavens
Maia- Waitā, sprinkle of water

What does Matariki mean for Maori?
Matariki played a significant role in deterring when to plant foods such as kumara (sweet potatoes) Clear, bright stars indicated a good season. But if they were hazy and bunched together, a cold winter was predicted and planting was delayed.

When does Matariki appear?

Beginning to the end of June

What does Matariki mean?

Matariki is the period of time referred to by Māori, to mark the changing of the year. It is a time to reflect upon the previous year and plan for the next

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/matariki-maori-new-year/what-matariki

They come out to play for Maori new year,

They light up the night with vibrant light,

Matariki is a time to reflect and feast on the crop,

This year we reflect on the 13 July,

Matariki is 7 stars that own the night sky.

Up in the sky 

It has seven stars

They always catch my eye

The seven sisters unite together 

No matter the weather 

They’ll always be there forever

This Term we will be looking deeper into the Māori New Year, Matariki. As Matariki draws nearer to appear in the early morning sky before the sun rises to mark the beginning of the Māori New Year, you will be learning karakia, waiata and a few other things to add to your kete matauranga (knowledge basket) so that you can share with your whanau.

This lesson you will need to learn of by heart to recite the karakia attached, without reading it. The words and an audio clip has been attached below for you to help you learn it. 

Although it would be easy to find a Google Translate of what the karakia means in English, I am not asking for what Google or the internet translates the karakia to, instead you are going to translate the following words that are mentioned in the karakia and come up with your own meaning or/and understanding of what the karakia is implying. Use www.maoridictionary.co.nz to find translations for individual words only.

- te = the (singular)

- ngā = the (plural)

- Tipua

- Tawhito

- Wairua

- ira

- mai

- Atua

- Tāngata

- Tihei Mauri Ora!

Attach your meaning of the karakia to this post. Your meaning can be a paragraph or 2 long to express your thoughts and ideas.

This lesson you will learn some of the names of the stars that make up Matariki through song. The tune is a popular one and the words will come just as easy after a while because majority of you will know the tune if you know songs like 'Twinkle, twinkle little star' and the English 'Alphabet song'

Have a go. Have fun with it. Teach it to members of your whanau in your bubble.

Complete your research and submit your PDF work at the end of the lesson or complete it for prep if you do not finish it this lesson. You may have researched similar questions last Term, this is to consolidate what you have learnt.

-       Is Matariki a star constellation or a star cluster and what is it reffered to in Greek/Roman?

-       There are more than seven stars that make up Matariki. What are their Māori names?

-       When is the best time to see Matariki with the naked eye? 

-       Where is Matariki situated in the sky? North, South, East or West? Can you be more specific? 

-       Is Matariki visible in the NZ sky all year round?

-       What does ‘Matariki’ or the ‘Māori New Year’ mean to Māori, how is it celebrated differently to other cultures, nationalities and/or ethnicities?

-       There are many stories about Matariki. Find 2 using the internet and write a paragraph or 2 summarising each of them.
Due Week 5, Thurs, May 28.